1. Field of the Invention
The present invention belongs to a technical field of communication navigation using a public switched telephone network circuit, and in particular to the technical field wherein a plurality of terminal units having an identical telephone number (identification) are provided and communication navigation is performed by switching the communication terminal units.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a vehicle navigation apparatus for guiding travel of a vehicle by displaying a map on a display such as a liquid crystal display panel mounted on the vehicle is widespread, and a research is underway lately toward practical use as to a communication navigation terminal unit for using an information server unit having a database of map information and a mobile communication line to distribute the map information to the vehicle navigation terminal unit so as to navigate the vehicle with vehicle data (mobile unit data) such as positional information obtained by the vehicle navigation terminal unit.
On the other hand, a research is also underway lately toward practical use as to a portable navigation terminal unit for, in a portable terminal unit such as a portable telephone, using a radio wave for performing communication to measure distances to a plurality of fixed telephone base stations and thereby obtain a position of the portable terminal unit so as to navigate a user having the portable terminal unit as with the vehicle communication navigation terminal unit.
In the case of performing the communication navigation with the information server unit and the communication navigation terminal unit, use of the public switched telephone network circuit is generally considered for the communication between the information server unit and the communication navigation terminal unit. In addition, it is desirable, considering that a large number of users have portable telephones due to diffusion thereof, to perform the communication navigation based on the identical telephone number (identification) with the portable terminal unit in terms of communication maintenance costs.
However, when using the portable terminal unit and the communication navigation terminal unit with the identical telephone number on the public switched telephone network circuit by switching between them, it is not possible to recognize two or more terminal units with the identical telephone number and capable of a communication state (existence of two or more terminal units with the identical telephone number is not allowed) in terms of a communication system (communication environment), that is, in terms of, of the public switched telephone network circuit, a system of the public switched telephone network circuit limited to a radio communication line (hereafter, referred to as public radio telephone network circuit). Therefore, it is necessary to consider the above-mentioned problem in establishing the communication line from the portable terminal unit to the communication navigation terminal unit or vice versa.
The present invention has been implemented in consideration of the above problem, and an object thereof is to provide a navigation system capable of easily switching between the portable terminal unit and the communication navigation terminal unit with the identical telephone number (identification) and also having considered the communication environment.
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by a communication navigation system of the present invention having an information server unit and communication terminal units having identical identification and mounted on a plurality of mobile units for communicating with said information server unit or other communication terminal units via a mobile communication network, wherein only one of said plurality of communication terminal units is set as a communication capable terminal capable of communication with said information server unit or other communication terminal units, and in the case where a specific communication terminal unit which is one of said plurality of communication terminal units is set as said communication capable terminal, the communication is performed with said information server unit so as to at least navigate said mobile unit on which the specific communication terminal unit is mounted. The system is provided with: setting device which setting one of said communication terminal units as said communication capable terminal based on at least either start information indicating a start of said specific communication terminal unit or stop information indicating a stop thereof; and controller which performs communication control on the communication terminal unit set as said communication capable terminal and at least controls a start or an end of navigating operation on said specific communication terminal unit.
According to the present invention, one of the communication terminal units is set as a communication capable terminal based on start information or stop information of a specific communication terminal unit, and the communication on the set communication terminal unit is controlled and also a start or an end of navigating operation on the specific communication terminal unit is controlled.
Therefore, it is possible to set a communication capable terminal unit and control navigating operation without performing troublesome operation or complicated control when setting one of the communication terminal units as the communication terminal unit capable of the communication, in particular the troublesome operation when setting the specific communication terminal unit for performing navigation as the communication capable terminal or when switching the setting of the communication capable terminal from the specific communication terminal unit to another communication terminal unit, so that operability for a user can be improved.
In one aspect of the present invention, said information server unit comprises said setting device and controller.
According to this aspect, the information server unit has setting means and controlling means so that one of the communication terminal units can be set as the communication capable terminal and the navigation can be controlled by the information server unit.
In another aspect of the present invention, the information server unit is provided with: detecting device which receives said start information, and on receiving it, detecting whether or not there is any other said communication terminal unit set as said communication capable terminal; notifying device, in the case where the other communication terminal unit set as said communication capable terminal is detected, which notifies the other communication terminal unit of setting information to the effect that said specific communication terminal unit is set as said communication capable terminal; receiving device which receives permission information showing whether or not the setting is permitted from the said other communication terminal unit to said specific communication terminal unit. In addition, the receiving device receives said permission information for permitting said setting, said setting device sets said specific communication terminal unit as said communication capable terminal.
According to this aspect, in the case of switching the communication capable terminal from the other communication terminal unit to the specific communication terminal unit in the invention, the specific communication terminal unit is set as the communication capable terminal on obtaining permission of the communication terminal unit already performing the communication with the information server unit.
Therefore, in the case where there is the communication terminal unit already set as the communication capable terminal when setting the specific communication terminal unit as the communication capable terminal, it is possible to consider use situation of the set communication terminal unit and also to adequately set one of the communication terminal units as the communication capable terminal.
In further aspect of the present invention, the system is further provided with notifying device which notifies at least either the communication terminal unit other than the specific communication terminal unit or said information server unit of at least either said start information or said stop information of said specific communication terminal unit.
According to this aspect, the specific communication terminal unit can notify the information server unit or the other communication terminal unit of the start information or stop information of the specific communication terminal unit, so that it is possible, based on this notification, to adequately set one of the communication terminal units as the communication capable terminal and to control the navigating operation on the specific communication terminal unit.
In further aspect of the present invention, said specific communication terminal unit comprises said setting device.
According to this aspect, the specific communication terminal unit has setting means for setting the communication capable terminal, and so it is possible for the specific communication terminal unit itself to set the communication terminal unit capable of performing the communication with the information server unit or the other communication terminal unit.
In further aspect of the present invention, the communication terminal unit other than the specific communication terminal unit is provided with: terminal receiving device which receives said start information; terminal sending device, on receipt of said start information, which sends positional information on said communication terminal unit to said specific communication terminal unit, and said setting device sets as said communication capable terminal one of said communication terminal units for performing communication based on said positional information and said start information.
According to this aspect, when the other communication terminal unit receives the start information in the invention, positional information on the communication terminal unit is sent to the specific communication terminal unit, and also the communication capable terminal unit is set based on the positional information and the above described start information.
Therefore, it is possible to set one of the communication terminal units as the communication capable terminal based on the start information on the specific communication terminal unit and the positional information on the other communication terminal unit, which allows setting of the communication capable terminal to be performed depending on whether the position of the other communication terminal unit is far from or close to the specific communication terminal unit.
In further aspect of the present invention, said communication terminal unit performs the communication with another said communication terminal unit within a distance set in advance.
According to this aspect, the communication is possible in the case where the other communication terminal unit is close to the communication terminal unit, and so it is feasible to set the specific communication terminal unit as the communication capable terminal in the case where the communication terminal unit can recognize that the other communication terminal unit is close to the communication terminal unit.
In further aspect of the present invention, said specific communication terminal unit is a vehicle communication terminal unit.
According to this aspect, the specific communication terminal unit is a vehicle communication terminal unit, and so it is possible to set one of the communication terminal units as the communication capable terminal based on the start and stop of the vehicle communication terminal unit.
In further aspect of the present invention, at least one of the communication terminal units other than said specific communication terminal unit is a portable communication terminal unit.
According to this aspect, at least one of the communication terminal units other than the specific communication terminal unit is a portable communication terminal unit, and so it is possible to switch from the other communication terminal units including the specific communication terminal unit to a terminal unit capable of performing the communication with the portable communication terminal unit or to the terminal unit capable of performing the communication from the portable communication terminal unit to the other communication terminal units.
In further aspect of the present invention, said specific communication terminal unit is a vehicle communication terminal unit, and said notifying device notifies said start information based on an engine start of a-vehicle on which the vehicle communication terminal unit is mounted.
According to this aspect, it is possible to connect one of the communication terminal units to the information server unit and to control the navigating operation on the specific communication terminal unit based on an engine start of a vehicle.
In further aspect of the present invention, said specific communication terminal unit is a vehicle communication terminal unit, and said notifying device notifies said stop information based on an engine stop of a vehicle on which the vehicle communication terminal unit is mounted.
According to this aspect, it is possible to connect one of the communication terminal units to the information server unit and to control the navigating operation on the specific communication terminal unit based on an engine stop of the vehicle.
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by an information server unit of the present invention included in a communication navigation system having an information server unit and communication terminal units having identical identification and mounted on a plurality of mobile units for communicating with said information server unit or other communication terminal units via a mobile communication network, wherein only one of said plurality of communication terminal units is set as a communication capable terminal capable of communication with said information server unit or other communication terminal units, and in the case where a specific communication terminal unit which is one of said plurality of communication terminal units is set as said communication capable terminal, the communication is performed with said information server unit so as to at least navigate said mobile unit on which the specific communication terminal unit is mounted. The information server unit is provided with: setting device which sets one of said communication terminal units as said communication capable terminal based on at least either start information indicating a start of said specific communication terminal unit or stop information indicating a stop thereof; and controller which performs communication control on the communication terminal unit set as said communication capable terminal and at least controlling a start or an end of navigating operation on said specific communication terminal unit.
According to the present invention, one of the communication terminal units is set as the communication capable terminal based on the start information or stop information on the specific communication terminal unit, and the communication on the set communication terminal unit is controlled and also a start or an end of the navigating operation on the specific communication terminal unit is controlled so that, when setting one of the communication terminal units as the communication terminal unit capable of the communication, it is possible to set the communication capable terminal unit and control the navigating operation without performing the troublesome operation or complicated control so as to improve the operability for the user.
In one aspect of the present invention, detecting device which receives said start information, and on receiving it, detects whether or not there is any other said communication terminal unit set as said communication capable terminal; notifying device, in the case where the other communication terminal unit set as said communication capable terminal is detected, notifies the other communication terminal unit of setting information to the effect that said specific communication terminal unit is set as said communication capable terminal; receiving device which receives permission information showing whether or not the setting is permitted from the other said communication terminal unit to said specific communication terminal unit. In addition, in the case where said receiving device receives the permission information for permitting said setting, said setting device sets said specific communication terminal unit as said communication capable terminal.
According to this aspect, in the case of switching the communication capable terminal from the other communication terminal unit to the specific communication terminal unit in the invention, the specific communication terminal unit is set as the communication capable terminal on obtaining permission of the communication terminal unit already performing the communication with the information server unit.
Therefore, in the case where there is the communication terminal unit already set as the communication capable terminal when setting the specific communication terminal unit as the communication capable terminal, it is possible to consider use situation of the set communication terminal unit and also to adequately set one of the communication terminal units as the communication capable terminal.
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by a communication terminal unit of the present invention included in a communication navigation system having an information server unit and communication terminal units having identical identification and mounted on a plurality of mobile units for communicating with said information server unit or other communication terminal units via a mobile communication network, wherein only one of said plurality of communication terminal units is set as a communication capable terminal capable of communication with said information server unit or other communication terminal units, and in the case where a specific communication terminal unit which is one of said plurality of communication terminal units is set as said communication capable terminal, the communication is performed with said information server unit so as to at least navigate said mobile unit on which the specific communication terminal unit is mounted. The communication terminal unit is provided with: setting device which sets one of said communication terminal units as said communication capable terminal based on at least either start information indicating a start of said specific communication terminal unit or stop information indicating a stop thereof; and controller which controls navigating operation with said information server unit based on the communication terminal unit set as said communication capable terminal.
According to the present invention, one of the communication terminal units is set as the communication capable terminal based on the start information or stop information on the specific communication terminal unit, and also a start or an end of the navigating operation on the specific communication terminal unit is controlled so that, when setting one of the communication terminal units as the communication terminal unit capable of the communication, it is possible to set the communication capable terminal unit and control the navigating operation without performing the troublesome operation or complicated control so as to improve the operability for the user.
In one aspect of the present invention, the communication terminal unit is provided with: terminal sending device which sends said start information; and terminal receiving device which receives positional information on the other communication terminal unit sent by the other said communication terminal unit based on said start information.
According to this aspect, the communication terminal unit sends the start information and receives the positional information on the other communication terminal unit so that the communication capable terminal unit is set based on the positional information and the above described start information.
Therefore, it is possible to set one of the communication terminal units as the communication capable terminal based on the start information on the specific communication terminal unit and the positional information on the other communication terminal unit, which allows setting of the communication capable terminal to be performed depending on whether the position of the other communication terminal unit is far from or close to the specific communication terminal unit.
In another aspect of the present invention, the communication terminal unit performs the communication with other said communication terminal unit within a distance set in advance.
According to this aspect, the communication is possible in the case where the other communication terminal unit is close to the communication terminal unit, and so it is feasible to set the specific communication terminal unit as the communication capable terminal in the case where the communication terminal unit can recognize that the other communication terminal unit is close to the communication terminal unit.
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by a communication navigation method of the present invention comprising: setting processing step of setting only one of a plurality of communication terminal units having identical identification and mounted on a plurality of mobile units for performing the communication via a mobile communication network as a communication capable terminal capable of communication with an information server unit or other communication terminal units based on at least either start information indicating a start of said specific communication terminal unit or stop information indicating a stop thereof; navigation processing step of, in the case where a specific communication terminal unit which is one of said plurality of communication terminal units is set as said communication capable terminal, performing the communication with said information server unit so as to at least navigate said mobile unit on which the specific communication terminal unit is mounted; and control processing step of performing communication control on the communication terminal unit set as said communication capable terminal and at least controls a start or an end of navigating operation on said specific communication terminal unit.
According to the present invention, one of the communication terminal units is set as a communication capable terminal based on start information or stop information of a specific communication terminal unit, and the communication on the set communication terminal unit is controlled and also a start or an end of navigating operation on the specific communication terminal unit is controlled. Therefore, it is possible to set a communication capable terminal unit and control navigating operation without performing troublesome operation or complicated control when setting one of the communication terminal units as the communication terminal unit capable of the communication, in particular the troublesome operation when setting the specific communication terminal unit for performing navigation as the communication capable terminal or when switching the setting of the communication capable terminal from the specific communication terminal unit to another communication terminal unit, so that operability for a user can be improved.
In one aspect of the present invention, said setting processing step includes: a reception processing step of receiving said start information; a detection processing step of, on receiving said start information, detecting whether or not there is any other said communication terminal unit set as said communication capable terminal; a notification processing step of, in the case where any other said communication terminal unit set as said communication capable terminal is detected, notifying the other communication terminal unit of setting information to the effect that said specific communication terminal unit is set as said communication capable terminal; a permission information reception processing step of receiving permission information showing whether or not the setting is permitted from said other communication terminal unit to said specific communication terminal unit. Further, in the case where said reception processing step receives the permission information for permitting said setting, said setting processing step sets said specific communication terminal unit as said communication capable terminal.
According to the present invention, one of the communication terminal units is set as a communication capable terminal based on start information or stop information of a specific communication terminal unit, and the communication on the set communication terminal unit is controlled and also a start or an end of navigating operation on the specific communication terminal unit is controlled.
Therefore, it is possible to set a communication capable terminal unit and control navigating operation without performing troublesome operation or complicated control when setting one of the communication terminal units as the communication terminal unit capable of the communication, in particular the troublesome operation when setting the specific communication terminal unit for performing navigation as the communication capable terminal or when switching the setting of the communication capable terminal from the specific communication terminal unit to another communication terminal unit, so that operability for a user can be improved.
In another aspect of the present invention, said setting processing step includes: a reception processing step of having said start information received by said communication terminal unit other than said specific communication terminal unit; a sending processing step of, on receipt of said start information, sending positional information on said communication terminal unit to said specific communication terminal unit, and one of said communication terminal units for performing communication based on said positional information and said start information is set as said communication capable terminal.
According to this aspect, when the other communication terminal unit receives the start information in the invention, positional information on the communication terminal unit is sent to the specific communication terminal unit, and also the communication capable terminal unit is set based on the positional information and the above described start information.
Therefore, it is possible to set one of the communication terminal units as the communication capable terminal based on the start information on the specific communication terminal unit and the positional information on the other communication terminal unit, which allows setting of the communication capable terminal to be performed depending on whether the position of the other communication terminal unit is far from or close to the specific communication terminal unit.
In further aspect of the present invention, said communication terminal unit performs the communication with the other said communication terminal unit within a distance set in advance.
According to this aspect, the communication is possible in the case where the other communication terminal unit is close to the communication terminal unit, and so it is feasible to set the specific communication terminal unit as the communication capable terminal in the case where the communication terminal unit can recognize that the other communication terminal unit is close to the communication terminal unit.